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Articles by Ahn Hyo-bin
“At least 5~6 needed by next week”… Election Commission special counsel meets Serious Crime Investigation Agency commissioner to request personnel dispatch
Special Counsel Lee Tae-han, who is investigating alleged bid rigging and preferential no-bid contracts at the National Election Commission, will meet Serious Crime Investigation Agency Commissioner Kim Ji-yong on the 23rd to discuss the dispatch of additional investigators. The special counsel is of the view that it needs to secure at least 5~6 additional investigators by next week at the latest.
Acting Chief Lee Jeong-hyun, “I have never even brought up withdrawing the indictment”···repeated apologies for prosecutorial overreach
Acting Prosecutor General (Public Prosecution Office Chief) Lee Jeong-hyun stated that he has not examined whether to withdraw the indictment in the case for which President Lee Jae Myung is on trial.
Acting Prosecutor General Lee Jeong-hyun: “If I were a political prosecutor, I would have sided with Yoon Suk-yeol... Yoon said ‘If they do not confess, they should be made to suffer’”
Acting Prosecutor General (Public Prosecution Service chief) Lee Jeong-hyun said he heard, during the period when former President Yoon Suk-yeol served as Prosecutor General, remarks to the effect that “cases without a confession should be indicted so the defendants undergo long trials and be made to suffer.” He rejected criticism branding him a ‘political prosecutor,’ saying, “If I were a political prosecutor, I would have sided with Yoon Suk-yeol.” At the Public Prosecution Service audit by...
Real estate, AI, and even Wegovy, up to vlogs… ‘Was that a law firm YouTube?’ The era of lawyers on YouTube
“You need to check whether the (real estate) asset can rebound. There’s an easy way. If it rebounded in early 2023, it tends to rebound well even when a downturn comes.” “Why early 2023, specifically?” “Early 2023 was the end of the downturn.” The YouTube channel ‘Gwanghwamun-ro’ run by law firm Sejong invited real estate specialist YouTuber and author Song Hee-gu last month to produce a video on real estate investment methods, which recorded 280,000 views.
“Heavier in culpability than insurrection”···‘Dispatching drones to Pyongyang’ Yoon Suk-yeol sees 30-year prison term sought on appeal
The special counsel team on insurrection (Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-seok) also sought a 30-year prison term on appeal for former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been indicted on charges of ordering drones to be sent into Pyongyang, North Korea, to create a pretext for declaring the 12·3 emergency martial law.
Election Commission special counsel “False entries of voter counts at 30 election commissions nationwide···search-and-seizure at 7 locations including the National Election Commission”
The special prosecutor team of the Election Commission led by Lee Tae-han, which is investigating the 6·3 local election ballot paper shortage and related matters, confirmed that time-by-time voter counts had been falsely entered at election commissions in 30 cities·counties·districts nationwide, and launched search-and-seizure operations at seven locations including the National Election Commission.
Man in his 50s wearing an electronic ankle monitor stabs eight people… Ministry of Justice: “Comprehensive re-examination of the management system”
Following an incident at a large commercial facility in Incheon in which a man in his 50s wearing an electronic ankle monitor wielded a weapon and injured eight citizens, the Ministry of Justice announced that it would “conduct a comprehensive re-examination of the electronic supervision management system.” The suspect is understood to have met with a probation officer and had lunch together immediately before the offense.
Ministry of Justice wins first-instance suit to recover pro-Japanese property worth 2.7 billion won against descendants of a pro-Japanese collaborator
The Ministry of Justice won the first-instance lawsuit, valued at 2.7 billion won, to recover pro-Japanese property filed against the descendants of pro-Japanese collaborator Shin Woo-seon.
No partitions, no official housing, the Major Crime Investigation Agency ‘sets off with the doors open’··· busy with preparations
On the 4th, the first weekend after its launch, the Major Crime Investigation Agency (MCIA) continued preparations for full-scale operations. The atmosphere was unsettled because a proper working environment had not yet been established. On the 4th, two employees carrying computer towers entered the ReneSquare Building in Jung District, Seoul, which houses the MCIA headquarters and the Seoul MCIA. They complained, “There is something we need right now, but they are not bringing it over…”.
Prisons do not stop even during holidays… One in five correctional officers fall into the ‘mental health risk group’
Even during holiday breaks, correctional facilities such as prisons and detention centers operate as usual. As the inmate population grows and frontline staffing shrinks, the number of inmates overseen by each night-shift officer has increased by more than 30% over four years. It has been found that one in five correctional officials fall into the ‘mental health risk group’.
Acting Prosecutor General Lee Jeong-hyun “Whether to withdraw President Lee Jae Myung’s indictment should await the fact-finding team’s results”
On the 23rd, as he reported for his first day of work, newly appointed Deputy Prosecutor General Lee Jeong-hyun of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said regarding the withdrawal of the indictment in the case for which President Lee Jae Myung is on trial, “Because the Fact-Finding Team of the (Prosecutorial Human Rights Respect Future Committee) is conducting a fact-finding investigation, we need to examine its results.” That morning, as he arrived at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in...
‘100 million won for a city council nomination’ Kang Sun-woo·Kim Kyung granted bail…released from detention
Independent lawmaker Kang Sun-woo and former Seoul City Council member Kim Kyung, who were brought to trial on charges of exchanging 100 million won over a city council nomination, are set to be released on bail. According to the legal community on the 22nd, Senior Judge Lee Chun-geun of the Seoul Central District Court, Criminal Division 1 (single-judge), accepted their bail applications ahead of the expiration of their detention periods.
Was it mindful of backlash within the ruling camp… The Presidential Office, additional vetting for Kim Ji-yong, nominee for Serious Crimes Investigation Agency chief
Delaying the request for a confirmation hearing, ‘on hold for now’ Nominee Kim: “I was sidelined under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration” It was confirmed on the 14th that President Lee Jae Myung ordered additional vetting of Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to serve as the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.
Kim Ji-Yong “Deeply reflecting on the abolition of the prosecution”… On his past call for supplementary investigations: “Intended to protect victims”
Kim Ji-Yong, the nominee to be the inaugural Commissioner of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, said on the 14th that “I am deeply reflecting on how the prosecution lost public trust and came to be abolished.” He explained that his past argument for the need for supplementary investigations by the prosecution was intended to protect crime victims.
“Seung-won oppa will put pressure on the Ministry of Health and Welfare”… Broker’s message sent right after meeting Kim Seung-won
It has been confirmed that broker Yang, who lobbied Minister of Justice nominee Kim Seung-won to secure approval for Genencell’s COVID-19 new drug clinical trial, repeatedly told people around him that ‘if approval by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is delayed, the nominee will pressure the Ministry of Health and Welfare’.
Kim Seung-won sent a congratulatory flower wreath to the office of broker Yang… In the same month, a ‘dinner appointment’ with the founder of Genencell
It has been confirmed that in September 2021, just before discussions about lobbying related to a new drug by Genencell, Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Minister of Justice, sent a congratulatory flower wreath to the office of a firm run by a broker surnamed Yang.
Kim Seung-won sidesteps a direct answer on withdrawing the indictment in President Lee Jae Myung’s trial… “Agrees” with strengthening the Prosecution Office’s trial divisions
Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Minister of Justice, avoided giving a direct answer regarding the withdrawal of the indictment in President Lee Jae Myung’s trial. On the debated issue of retaining forensic investigation functions within the Prosecution Office, he said they are necessary only to the extent required for prosecutorial work such as filing and maintaining indictments.
Growing fallout from recording on Kim Seung-won’s ‘Ministry of Food and Drug Safety lobbying allegations’
Includes specific conversations such as ‘expedited approval processing’ Kim claims “public-interest petition, distorted by editing” Civic groups file successive complaints… eyes on whether there will be a reinvestigation Controversy is widening over allegations of ‘COVID-19 new drug lobbying’ involving Minister of Justice nominee Kim Seung-won (pictured).
The era of separating investigation and prosecution begins… Can the Serious Crimes Investigation Office achieve a ‘soft landing’
On October 2, the prosecution will fade into history after 78 years and the Serious Crimes Investigation Office (SCIO) will be launched. A revised Criminal Procedure Act, centered on the principle of ‘separation of investigation and indictment,’ will take effect the same day. The prosecution’s investigative authority, in place since the enactment of the Criminal Procedure Act in 1954, has been deleted from the new law.
Prosecutors “dismayed” by the abolition of investigative authority for the first time in 78 years ··· concerns about police overwork as well
An amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act centered on abolishing the prosecution’s authority to order supplementary investigations has passed the National Assembly. With the prosecution’s investigative authority completely abolished for the first time since the Prosecution Office Act was enacted in 1948, voices within the prosecution expressed a sense of powerlessness and concern.
‘Objection to Non-Referral’ guaranteed yet fears of chilling whistleblowing… “Only posturing about protecting the socially vulnerable”
An amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act that the Democratic Party of Korea placed on the National Assembly plenary agenda on the 30th includes partially restoring a complainant right to object to an investigative agency’s non-referral disposition.
“I will look after them this time, please help next time”…Pet ‘care exchanges’ are on the rise during the vacation season
With the summer vacation season underway, neighbors are increasingly taking turns looking after each other’s pets in ‘care exchanges’. Entrusting a pet to a neighboring owner instead of a pet hotel or a professional pet sitter is considered advantageous because it reduces cost and the burden of care while providing psychological reassurance. On the 20th, region-based social media and communities such as Danggeun Market featured many posts offering pet ‘care exchanges’ for the vacation season.
CCTV saved them amid extreme downpours… Police rescue three minors who entered a swift current
A police officer monitoring river CCTV in real time spotted three minors who had entered a flood-risk area and swiftly rescued them. According to the Gangbuk Police Station on the 15th, Inspector Park Seong-hwan of the Beon-dong Police Substation, while checking the Uicheon CCTV at about 10:33 p.m. on the 14th, observed three males entering a river area closed due to the risk of flooding.
An empty store with goods gone and even payments halted… The remaining employees worry about their livelihoods
After the ‘Decision to Abolish the Rehabilitation Proceedings’ Even the former top-grossing World Cup branch in Seoul Frying pans on fresh-food shelves Tenants fear unpaid settlements They withdraw from stores or halt card payments Employees say “No work guidelines” and feel powerless Waiting out the 2 weeks set by the court “I came to buy seaweed, but they said card payment was unavailable, so I returned it.
“Confidential” “Under investigation” “Wait”… The ‘lack of communication’ that torments bereaved families of industrial accident victims
Although authorities cite ‘maintaining investigative confidentiality’ Bereaved families voice frustration over a ‘lack of information’ They receive no explanations on progress or the cause of the accident Forced to track down testimony and materials on their own Experts say “communication guidelines are needed” Families who have lost relatives in industrial accidents are repeatedly having to step forward themselves to determine the cause of the incidents.
Why must bereaved families of occupational accidents dig into their loved ones’ deaths themselves··· “Need to improve support system for bereaved families”
It is becoming a recurring reality that families who lost relatives to industrial accidents must take it upon themselves to determine the causes of the incidents. Because investigations by labor and investigative authorities proceed behind closed doors with no definite timeline, families’ access to information is poor, among other factors cited. Observers say institutional improvements are needed, including providing families with guidance on the status of investigations.
Police and sports organizations again fail to enter the sealed ballot-counting site···Mediator Jang Dong-hyeok also withdraws empty-handed
The resident sports organizations at the Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul, where the ‘ballot-counting center blockade protest’ has continued for the 12th day, attempted to enter on the 16th together with police and People Power Party lawmakers but failed.
In the end, entry to the Jamsil counting center failed again today… Jang Dong-hyeok “Withdrawal of sports association officials”
At the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where a blockade protest of the Jamsil vote-counting center over the June 3 local elections has entered its 12th day, lawmakers from the People Power Party and officials from sports organizations attempted to enter but failed. People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok and officials from individual sports federations tried to enter the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium on the afternoon of the 16th but were blocked by protesters.
On the tenth day of the Jamsil vote-counting site protest, there was no reversal in mood even over the weekend… the scene was filled with ‘electoral fraud theory’
At the Jamsil counting center protest, now in its tenth day, claims and chants alleging election fraud continued. On the 14th at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, participants repeatedly shouted slogans such as “re-run due to election fraud” and “hand-count same-day ballots”.
Protesters in Jamsil who even disrupted the press conference… Sports bodies say “It is already late, but public authority must be deployed”
On the 11th, protesters who are blockading the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where the Jamsil ballot-counting site is located, in protest over the 6·3 local elections ballot-paper shortage, disrupted and caused a commotion at an on-site press conference by the Korea Sports Council. Since the protest began on the 5th, the Council has been unable to enter its offices inside the arena and appealed for the deployment of public authority.
‘Gangnam Station murder case’ 10 years on… a reality with no statistics even on ‘killing of women·misogyny’
It has been 10 years since the Gangnam Station murder case, yet there is still no news of the introduction, at the national level, of official statistics on misogyny-driven crimes such as “femicide” (cases in which women are killed because they are women). There are calls for institutional reforms to clearly define misogynistic crimes and manage them systematically. In South Korea, the tallying of misogyny-related crimes has to date been led by women’s organizations.
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